Nashik traders' strike adds to onion woes

Nashik, Jan 10 (Agencies): Onion traders in the district on Sunday decided not to purchase onions for two days—Monday and Tuesday—from Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMC) to protest the State Government's directive that onions should not sell over Rs 40 per kg.

Nashik District Onion Traders Association at its meeting held at Umrane took this decision, said Suresh Parikh, onion trader.

"We have been buying onions at Rs 30-45 per kg from APMC, and we have to bear losses because of the Government directive," he said.

Income tax department on Saturday raided houses and godowns of four onion traders—two in Lasalgaon and one each at Nashik and Pimpalgaon, but did not find evidence of onion-hoarding, Parikh claimed.

After two days' week-end closure, APMC will open on Monday, and auctions of fresh incoming stocks would be held.